Freshman defensive back Chaz Penwright (Rural Retreat) makes a tackle for Averett University.
Freshman defensive back Chaz Penwright (Rural Retreat) makes a tackle for Averett University.
Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum celebrates re-opening.
Staff, volunteers, contractors, funders and friends cut the grand re-opening ribbon at the museum.
Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum officially opened its doors to the Cary C. Fuller Education Center for the community during a spectacular grand opening celebration on Oct. 15. The event, held in Downtown Wytheville, marked a major milestone for the Museum.
The successful launch was made possible by the extraordinary partners of the Wytheville-Wythe-Bland Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Wytheville, Inc., and the Town of Wytheville.
"We are absolutely thrilled by the overwhelming turnout for our re-grand opening," said Richard Bullins, Executive Director of Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace. "This milestone represents months of hard work, but we could not have achieved this level of success alone”.
The grand re-opening featured a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, guided tours of the new facility, and refreshments for the contractors, funders, and friends of the museum.
For more information about the re-grand opening or future projects, please visit www.edithbollingwilson.org.
Input sought on One Wytheville 2040
If a Town can dream big and create a vision board for who it wants to be, what it values and what it prioritizes, what would that look like?
That vision board would be the locality comprehensive plan. Mandated by the state, every locality in Virginia must draft a comprehensive plan. The last comprehensive plan was drafted over 10 years ago in 2013.
In 2025, Town leaders determined it was time for a new plan and staff began work on the new One Wytheville 2040 Plan in January of 2026. Over the last 10 months the Town of Wytheville has undergone a historic planning effort to create a framework for the future of the Town. After months of civic engagement exercises, careful studies, and data collection, the Town is ready to unveil the vision statement, planning themes, transportation priorities, early draft strategies, and future land use map that will guide Wytheville over the next decade.
If you live, work, or play in Wytheville, attend the Community Input Open House Meeting on Thursday, Nov. 5 from 5 to 7 p..m, at the Wytheville Meeting Center, 333 Community Boulevard, Wytheville, Virginia. The event is free and open to the public. Every person’s participation and input is valued and welcomed.
In addition to the meeting, the town is hosting a public website at https://engagekh.mysocialpinpoint.com/one-wytheville to keep residents informed of the One Wytheville 2040 plan. Interested persons can visit this website to view the updated content, submit comments, and follow the progress of the plan.
Individuals who may have accessibility concerns or those who do not have access to computers or digital content may contact Elaine Holeton, Assistant Town Manager/Director of Planning at 276-223-3352 or elaine.holeton@wytheville.org who can assist with any questions or concerns related to the One Wytheville 2040 project.
Aspen, 5, takes a break in the parrot room. Each patient room features a different animal, and patients can choose their room for every visit.
Aspen, 5, takes a break in the parrot room. Each patient room features a different animal, and patients can choose their room for every visit.
Zoning meeting set for Monday
Residents and officials will be talking zoning in the coming week.
On Monday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m., Planning Commission members will host a public hearing on zoning at the George Wythe High School auditorium.
The data center issue threw a wrinkle in the zoning plan earlier this month, as the partnership planning to build a center on land near the Pulaski County line requested a change in the maps, having the land in question be deemed industrial instead of agricultural.
Deputy County Administrator Matt Hankins said the owners requested a change to reflect the coming use of the land. The property, officials said, has approved plan approval by the state Department of Environmental Quality, and its sediment control plan is under review by the county.
Board members balked at making the change to the map, pointing out that the public hearing was set based on the maps showing the property as agricultural.
Hankins noted that changes and edits are being made to the map as errors are found; however, supervisors nixed that particular edit from being made. County leaders did, though, approving a request for land owned by G&G Livestock to be reclassified as industrial instead of agriculture, noting that the parcels adjoin other industrial property, particularly Progress Park.
Residents can sign up online to speak at the meeting or submit comments online at www.wytheco.org/zoning. Pre-meeting signups will be taking until noon on Monday. At the meeting, residents can begin signing up to speak at 5:30 p.m.
The commission will make its recommendation to the Board of Supervisors at its Nov. 2 meeting.
In other news, the county approved selling used equipment, including radios and repeaters, to Bland County for $90,000.
Data center meeting set
Representatives from Fluidstack, the data center planned for Progress Park, will host an open house on Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Wytheville Meeting Center.
During the open house residents will be able ask questions and learn more about the project in an informal setting.
FluidStack plans on building a 99-acre center at the park, using a closed-loop cooling system. Company representatives have explained in past meetings that daily water consumption – after the system is filled – will be limited to kitchens and bathrooms used by employees. The company says the same water will be used for years.
The Texas-based company also explained that noise levels will meet all park requirements, staying at or below 65 decibels at 500 feet from the property line. Sixty-five decibels is slightly quieter than a vacuum cleaner or dishwasher, and close to a normal conversation or the sounds of an office building.
On its website, the company noted that it would bear all the energy and infrastructure costs for the center. It pointed out that ensuring residential bills won’t be impacted is enforced by a Virginia State Corporation Commission order.
The website also says that Fluidstack has not received or asked for local property tax incentives and will pay full local taxes on the property.
